


A Drop In The Ocean

by I_Regret_Nothing_666



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: And Erwin - Freeform, Buckle in children we’re going to hell, Canon-Typical Violence, De-aged Levi, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Levi & Eren Yeager are the Same Age, M/M, Manly Men Doing Manly Things, Team Bonding, Teambuilding, Titan Eren Yeager, Titan Shifter Eren Yeager, Who even knows at this point, Why Did I Write This?, haha everything., look out fuckers, only a bit though and it’s not actually mentioned, well shit i forgot my boi armin, what could go wrong?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-05-28 03:43:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15039953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Regret_Nothing_666/pseuds/I_Regret_Nothing_666
Summary: The King ordered Ewin Smith to find the young Titan-Shifter Eren Yeager a Shadow. Shadows are two bonded warriors, whose strength and power are enhanced when they fight with each other. They will always have your back, and you must always be willing to lay down your life for your Shadow. The King wants no harm to come to the Titan boy, so his Shadow must be one of the best and brightest. Erwin hand picks the candidates for the job.Eren must learn how to fight with others in his Titan form, rather than against them. While trying not to accidentally step on his friends, he must also learn how to protect his Shadow from the demons outside the wall. But what about the demons inside their heart?Forgive me, it’s like half-past one here and I’m tired, and my summaries always suck no matter what... :( hopefully my story will be better... :)





	1. Chapter 1

“You know what you have to do, Erwin.” King Fritz cooed to the Scout, as he pushed his chess piece into place. Erwin Smith frowned down at the board, sussing his next move.

"You told me to find the boy a Shadow. Remind me, why must I do that? He is extremely powerful and is more than capable of holding his own in a fight." His hand reached out and moved his next piece.

"Because, Erwin," The King drooled, "No harm whatsoever can come to the boy. He is too important to everything. I expect you to carefully pick the candidates yourself, make sure they're the best and brightest that the Scouts have to offer. Like I said; the boy means too much, for humanity and its survival. We need him, he is our most dangerous weapon. You know this." Erwin nodded, and stood up abruptly.

"Well then, my King, I'd better get started. It has been my pleasure, as always, King Fritz," He bowed and left the room, pondering all the possible Scouts that would even stand a chance at becoming a Titan's Shadow.

There were only a few that came to mind. Levi was high on his list. Levi could remain calm, collected and cool in dire situations. He was an extremely skilled fighter, and would be able to work with Eren. But Levi was young, the same age as Eren, and small. If Eren decided to go rogue, no matter what Levi’s skill was, the King had ordered that no harm was to come to him. Levi would barely stand a chance. 

Then, there was Mikasa. She, too, was a skilled fighter. Her and Eren has history, and knew each other better than anyone. They had fought together before, and were known to make a good team. Mikasa was usually calm, almost emotionless, but if something happened to Eren, she would lose her shit. She had an unhealthy obsession with protecting the Shifter, and if she failed, she would blow up the ground she stood on to save him. 

There was also Armin, but Erwin was slightly skeptical when it came to the Arlert boy. He was an amazing strategist, but wasn’t the most talented or successful person in the field. He had a nasty tendency to freeze up with fright, and he then became as useless as tits on a fish. If Eren needed him, there was a chance he wouldn’t pull through. Although, like Mikasa, they were good friends and knew each other well, and Armin probably had memorised the way Eren’s Titan fights or something. The kid was too smart for his own good. But, like Levi, he was small. 

There was always Hanji, she was skilled enough, and had infinite amounts of... enthusiasm. But Erwin was scared if he let Hanji be Eren’s Shadow, she might forget about the war that was going on, and she might shove something “scientific” down the Titan’s ear. It was such a Hanji thing to do. 

Reiner or Bertolt probably could do it as well. They were talented, but, like Levi, didn’t really play well with others, except for each other. It would be weird seeing one of them with someone else. 

The only other person that Erwin could think of, other than himself, and that was Jean. He knew that Eren and Jean rarely saw eye to eye, but Jean was one of the Scouts best fighters. 

Well, if all that failed, he could step in, and he himself would become Eren Yeager’s Shadow. He didn’t like the idea, but he swore to follow every need of his King. 

* * *

Eren got out of bed early that morning, blearily remembering that Erwin had requested Eren go down and see him, something about a shadows and a new type of training.

He trudged over to his mirror and frowned; he looked like he’d been hit by a bus. Eren rarely slept; he had terrible nightmares, which resulted in the most prominent dark circles around his eyes that he had ever seen on anyone ever. His hair was a mess, but all he could do about that was brush it down and hope for the best.

He quickly got dressed, and headed down to Erwin’s office. He pushed the door open, and was met by the sight of Levi and Mikasa arguing heatedly, nothing new. He saluted to Levi and Erwin in turn before greeting Mikasa. 

“Hey.” He yawned. 

“Eren, are you alright? You look like you haven’t slept for days!” Eren snorted. 

“That’s because I haven’t, Mika.” She sucked in a great big breath, and Eren braced himself for the longest, most boring lecture he would ever would receive in his life, when the door opened again, and Armin came to his rescue. He, too, greeted Levi and Erwin, before heading over to Mikasa and Eren. 

“What were you fighting with Levi about? I could hear you all the way down the corridor!” Eren sniggered. Mikasa just glared in Levi’s direction. 

“He doesn’t think I’ll get chosen as Eren’s Shadow.” Eren looked at her dazedly. 

“My _what_ sorry? I already have a shadow and I’m quite happy with him, thanks.” Mikasa looked down on Eren with a face resembling that of a mother staring at her son with nothing but disbelief on her face. 

“You’re kidding, right?” Eren shook his head, “We’re all here to find you a Shadow. A Shadow is like your soulmate, or Parabatai. Shadows are a pair of warriors who fight together as lifelong partners, bound together by oath, regardless of their gender. Their bond is not reflected only in their closeness and willingness to lay down their lives for one another, but also in oath—one sworn in front of the King. The King himself has personally requested that you get a Shadow. Not because he thinks that you’re not good a fighting or anything, he just wants to ensure your safety, so Erwin brought the best and brightest the Scouts have to offer. You will transform into a Titan, and you will try to fight with each one of us in turn, and Erwin will decide who gets to be your Shadow.” She finished he speach. Eren couldn’t be sure if she’d actually taken a single breath during her ranting.

"And you wanna be my Shadow...? You know, I might accidently step on you or something?" The truth was, Eren didn't want a Shadow. He didn't think he would be able to fight with someone, especially in his Titan form. He didn't think he could be responsible for someone else's life, as well as his own. It scared him. He needed someone who could remain calm if things went to shit. 

"I think that's all of you, except Jean," Who promptly joined them.

"Sorry I'm late, sir." He saluted to Erwin. 

“It’s fine, take your places, Scouts.” Erwin started pacing up and down the line, “As you know, we are here to find Eren Yeager a Shadow. Today, we will be training with real Titans that have been... attached to the Wall by our one and only Hanji. There are four Titans for each pairing, out of the four groups, there will be only one abnormal, so if anyone gets killed,” He looked pointedly at Eren, “Their blood is on _your_ hands. You have to learn to fight as one with one of the people in this room, Eren. You will know as soon as you start fighting who you Shadow is; it will feel right to be fighting with them. You will be faster, stronger, and tougher. Just plain better when you fight together. It will almost be like telepathy, as you will be get some kind of feeling when your Shadow is about to do something. You drift with them. Eren, even when you’re not in your Titan form, the person you feel most _right_ with will still remain your Shadow. When this training session is over, you will get cleaned up and Eren and his Shadow will head off to the interior to swear the Drift-Oath in front of the King himself. Let’s go!” Erwin dismissed them, and they left the room single file. 

The Scouts knew they were headed to the Wall, all with their ODM gear, except Eren. 

“Commander, how am I going to get up the Wall?” Eren asked Erwin. 

“Someone is going to have to carry you up.” Erwin replied with a smirk. Eren nodded, and fell back to chat with the rest of the group.

"So, how will one of you get chosen as my Shadow thingy?" The question was mainly directed at Levi, as Eren thought he was most likely to be chosen. Humanity's Best Soldier and Humanity's Last Hope might make a great team, but Mikasa spotted this and butted in.

"Like Erwin said, each and every one of us will try to fight with you in your Titan form, but when you start to fight with them, you will be faster, stronger, tougher. Better. You will feel bonded to them in a special way, like you can anticipate their next move, so you can work together as one." Eren nodded. They had made it to the Wall, and Eren looked around. Mikasa, Armin, Jean and Erwin had already climbed up the wall using their ODM gear. There was only Levi left.

"Uh-um... C-Captain Levi...? Uhhh-" Levi chuckled.

"Eren, do you need a lift?" For some unknown reason, Eren felt his face heat up many, many degrees, so he hung it in a way that Levi couldn’t see it. The attempt was in vain, though, even if Levi was the same age as Eren, he was much shorter, so the boy could still see his face. He laughed again as Eren rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Y-yes, Sir. If it’s not too much trouble.” Levi shot out his grapple hooks right to the top of the Wall, before turning to Eren. Eren let out an _almost_  manly squeal when he felt a thin but strong arm hook under his knees and another support his back. 

“Hold on, I wouldn’t want to drop you.” Levi said with a barely there smile. Eren physically couldn’t reply, as his brain wasn’t functioning properly, and he actually had no idea why. He’d been carried bridal-style before, so why was this time any different? He wad rudely ripped from his thoughts with a sudden jolt. His arms automatically latched around Levi’s neck, and he felt the shorter boy’s chest vibrating with laughter. Eren didn’t think that Levi had ever laughed this much in his whole life. The sound made a confusing, happy feeling bubble up in his chest. 

The ride was over as quick as it began, and Levi all but dropped Eren. As they stood on the top pf the Wall, they peered over the edge of it. Sure enough, there were four groups of four different sized Titans attached to the Wall by some grappling hooks which were much bigger than the ones in the ODM gear. The group turned to face Erwin, waiting for their orders. 

“Eren, you need to transform in that area over there,” He gestured someway down the Wall, giving him space away from the Titans, “and once you do, Armin you will go first, then Jean, and then Mikasa. Levi, you will go last. Eren, please try not to stand on any of your comrades. That would be tedious. Also, make sure you listen to them, only do what they say for you to do, unless it’s absolutely necessary. Dismissed.” They saluted to him, and they all followed Eren further down the Wall. 

“Um, Sir, where am I actually going to transform? I can’t do it on the Wall, and there’s no way of me safely getting to the ground?” Erwin laughed evilly. 

“I’m so glad you asked.” Before Eren could fully register what was going on, there was a strong hand pushing into his back. Hard. Erwin thought he was _so_ funny. Eren realised he was either falling, or the ground was growing. His mouth automatically latched onto his hand, the eye-watering pain being made worthwhile as his Titan body materialised around him. He landed on his feet, and rose up slowly. Only being 15 metres tall, Eren was quite small compared to the Wall, but he was a large Titan. He looked up at the now tiny pinpricks which were his teammates, and reached up his hand. It got nowhere near the top of the Wall, but the group could use their ODM gear to get down to his level. The first of his comrades to jump over the Wall was Armin, who wasn’t the most graceful of the lot, but he got the job done. He landed in Eren’s palm, and latched is ODM gear into it, as he held onto one of Eren’s fingers. The tell-tale rumble of the ground suggested that the Titans had been released, and were approaching. Eren looked down at Armin, who nodded. He then turned to the Titans. He felt his human mouth smirk slightly. Erwin had told him to listen to his comrades instead of taking matters into his own hands, so he let Armin take the reins. 

"Head towards the Titans. Attack them head-on, there's no abnormals, we should be able to take them without heading to the trees," Armin looked at all the Titans, judging their heights. "Two four meters. This class of Titan is the smallest of them all, it's often these kind of Titans are the most common ones, they are rarely killed, because they are harder to find due to their size. The problem with this size of Titan is that it are able to get anywhere almost, through almost any street, or opening. In their abnormal version they are mostly jumpers.

Strengths :

Better at hiding / are hardest to find.

Lurking Titan (mostly the crawling type) can often pose a great threat to the unsuspected Scout.

Their napes are small, and is harder to hit. This is especially dangerous when applied to crawlers.

They have almost no "safe-zones". For example, a Scout can stand between a 15-meter Titan's legs and they can hook onto the stomach of the Titan to avoid being killed. This is not the case with the 4-meter titans.

Weakness :

These Titans are often easiest to kill since their weak point are closer to the ground, which means that advanced Scouts like Levi find these Titans very easy to kill as they can jump right on the neck with his abilities.

These Titans are often killed using the "Equator Cut" technique, which takes care of them with ease.

Their attacks have small target areas, which makes it more difficult for them to hit you.

One 6-7 meter.

This Titans size is still small, which means that it is harder for this Titan to hide and move around, and getting through most streets, there are some places it can't.

Strength :

Still able to hide but not as effective as the 4 meter variety.

Are able to lurk and follow it prey, with the bigger target area it makes it more dangerous, if not suspected.

Weakness :

Still able to be killed from ground with attacks such as Levi's horizontal spin.

One 10-12 meter.

This class is the second biggest non-boss titan type in the game, because of it size, it's attack are much larger and can cause more difficulties to avoid than the 4 and 6 meter class. This titan cannot, unlike their smaller counterparts, get through smaller-"

Armin sounded like he had swallowed every fact on Titan there were, but they didn't have time for this. The Titans were on top of them, and Eren growled something that roughly meant 'shut the fuck up, and help me fight these ugly sons of bitches.' Armin nodded, and jumped.

Their fighting was painful to watch. They fought sloppily together, and Eren felt no... _bond_. Armin almost died a few times as well. It was just a mess. 

“Armin, get back up here now.” Armin looked slightly dejected. 

“Yes, Sir.” Erwin looked at Jean. 

“Get down there, son.” Jean saluted, and hopped over the Wall. Their fighting was marginally better, as Jean’s leadership skills were pretty good, but again, Eren knew that Jean wasn’t his Shadow. That left Mikasa and Levi. Eren could only hope that it was Levi, he felt like he wouldn’t be able to deal with Mikasa being his Parabatai, or Bonded Warrior Soulmate. 

As he fought with Mikasa, there was a lot of frustrated yelling coming from the female. Eren was confused and dazed with every move she made, and he was extremely sure that she wasn’t his Shadow, especially after he nearly accidentally trod on her. That left Levi, and the abnormal. 

He felt the familiar prick of the ODM gear sinking into his skin, before he felt a small weight land on his shoulder. Levi was the first person to do that. Eren suddenly had a strong thought which appeared out of nowhere. 

_He wants you to go to the trees, so he can use his ODM gear better._

Eren waited for Levi to give him instructions, before Levi whispered in his ear, 

“Head to the trees. I don’t want to use you as the only place where my gear can latch onto.” Eren nodded, and sprinted for the trees, the four Titans behind him. 

_Levi’s going for the 10-12 meter one._

Eren let Levi get onto the nearest tree, before kicking the 6-7 meter Titan straight into the two 4 meter ones. Levi only nodded. They worked together in perfect harmony, and Eren was faster. Stronger. Better. Levi was too; they had killed all four Titans in less than four minutes. Levi suddenly landed on Eren’s shoulder, and whispered in his hypersensitive ear, 

“Well, hello there, Shadow.” It made even Eren’s Titan form blush. Was that even possible? His knees felt slightly weak, and he wanted to swat Levi like a fly for laughing at him. 

This was going to be a long day.


	2. Fidus Achates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi take the fidus Achates oath in front of the King.

Mikasa was seething. Armin was whooping. Jean was smirking. Erwin's eyes had softened slightly.

Eren and Levi headed back to the Wall, adrenaline still coursing through their veins. It felt weird now; it was like there was a presence in the back of each of their heads, and if Eren reached out towards it, he could tell that it kind of made Levi shiver, and he watched as an almost not there pink dusting spread across the stoic captains face. Good. That was payback for earlier, which Eren felt was rightfully deserved. 

Levi slid down Eren's arm to his hand, and nodded, letting Eren know to set him down on the floor, so that when Eren crawled out of his Titan body, he would have a way to get back up the wall. He set Levi down a safe distance away from where he was about to let his gigantic body fall and disintegrate, then he did just that. But this time, he didn't feel as weak as he usually did when he dragged himself out of the nape of his Titan's neck.

He stumbled a bit, but when Levi shot out a hand to catch him, sparks that felt like Kerosene ignited at the point of contact and spread through both of their bodies. Levi snatched his hand back almost immediately, staring at it confused. Eren felt hot and shivery, but in a good way.

"... Well, that was weird." Levi stated bluntly. Eren nodded in agreement, before reaching a hand to the back of his neck.

"I know... but, you're still my only way back up the Wall... soooo..." He croaked. Levi's eyes widened with realisation.

"I see," He caught Eren's eye, and it was too much for the both of them. They both cracked up. Levi bent over, snorting, whilst Eren's knees gave out and he crumpled to the floor.

In that moment, they could forget about all the death around them. They could forget about the Titans that were all trying to break through the Wall. They could forget about what was most likely going to happen to them. They could forget about Eren's steaming Titan carcass which was strewn across the grass behind them. They could forget about the nightmare they were living.

In that moment, they were just two teenage boys laughing like they didn't have a care in the world.

In that moment, they were free.

The next time Levi touched Eren, it no longer felt like they were both going to explode; it was more like a warm thrum of electricity, coursing through both Scouts. It was bearable, so Levi once again carried Eren up the Wall. When they landed, Armin engulfed Eren in a hug. Eren laughed him off, and looked past him at Mikasa, who was glaring daggers at Levi. But Levi wasn't backing down, he held her gaze with a cold confidence, face emotionless as usual. It was hard to believe that a couple of minutes ago he was almost crying with laughter. Eren felt awkward. He knew that Mikasa cared a lot for Annie, Armin and himself, and how protective she could get. She was like a sister to him, but Levi... well, especially now, Levi was something much more.

"Well done, you two. You must go back and prepare yourselves for the Fidus Achates Oath." Erwin's deep voice carried down the Wall to them all. They nodded, and all hopped down the friendly side of the Wall. Eren fell into step next to Levi.

"So, what does Erwin mean by 'prepare yourselves'?" He questioned.

"Thick little brat, aren't we?" Levi chuckled, though there was no heat behind his words, "All of the Scouts will be present before the King, where he will preform a ritual on us. The ritual will bind us together for life. Yes Eren, for life, and then he will probably watch us spar, because training together is a big part of being Shadows. However, that all depends on how strong the bond can get. The more neural compatibility, the stronger the bond. If the bond is weak, it will probably take a lot out of us and we wont have the energy to spar. If our bond is that weak, training and... well, spending time together should strengthen it. And even if the bond is strong enough, it will do us both good to stick together, if I'm being honest."

Wow. That was a lot to take in. First, he was going to be  bonded to Captain Levi _for the rest of his life_. Then, he was actually going to _have to spend time_ with Captain Levi, probably _for the rest of his life_. What if the shorter boy figured out his feelings? _Try to ask nonchalantly,_ he thought.

"Soooo, uh, what if one of the Shadows has, like, _feelings_ for the other one?" Nailed it. Levi's eyebrow shot up.

"Eren? Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Levi started laughing at the dumbstruck look on Eren's face. "Jeez, Eren. I was only kidding. If one of the Shadows happens to fall in love with the other, depending if the feeling is mutual or not, it will either enhance the bond ten-fold, or tear it apart. It could kill the one who fell in love, and if one of the Shadows dies, a part of the other Shadow dies with them. Some of the Shadows that have been left behind have been known to commit suicide. It's a horrible way to go. Some even say that Shadows can feel each others pain..." Levi trailed off. "So, don't go dying on me, Jaeger." Eren managed a small smile.

"I'll try my best." Levi nudged Eren gently.

"By the way, get dressed in your ODM Gear. We won't need to use it, but that and your Scout jacket are needed in the ceremony." Eren nodded.

“Should we pack our sports gear? In case we have to spar?” Levi nodded, then Eren blushed.

"What's up with you?"

"It's stupid, but... this kinda reminds me of getting married. I feel like we're getting married..." Levi pondered that for a second.

"I suppose it is kind of like that, in a way. Married at fifteen. That's not where I imagined myself at this stage in my life." That made them both giggle again.

“Why do we have to spar? I mean, I know it can strengthen the bond and everything, but is there any other reason?” Levi considered this for a moment. 

“I think it’s also a way to measure the bond. If someone can win, then the bond is weak. If you’re evenly matched, especially if one is a much better fighter than the other, then that means the bond is strong.”

Eren and Levi were just settling into a comfortable silence before a strong hand wrapped around Eren's arm, dragging him back. He hadn't realised just how far ahead him and Levi had walked; he had gotten lost in their conversation. But Mikasa had caught up and dragged him back, Levi continuing on ahead.

"Do you have to do this? Take the Oath, I mean." Eren frowned.

"Well, yeah, I mean the King ordered me to get a Shadow, soooo..." Mikasa scowled harder.

"Don't go. I don't care that you'll be defying the King. I'll take the blame. Just please don't do it." Eren felt... weird. He knew he was never gonna agree; it was the King for crying out loud, and Mikasa knew that. Did she really hate the thought of sharing him so much?

"No, Mikasa. I'm doing this, and you can't stop me." Her gaze darkened.

"Don't come crying to me when this all backfires on you. I warned you." Eren was left motionless. _What did she mean by that?_  Eren didn't really have time to think about it, he had to get ready for his not-quite-marriage.

By the time he had changed and was ready to go, Levi was at his door. He had cleaned up and put on a new jacket and trousers, whilst brushing his hair and basically smoothing over the rough edges. He looked good. Eren knew he himself looked better than he did earlier; Mikasa had reluctantly helped him cover the dark circles under his eyes and had combed through his hair, with little to no profit, but at least they tried.

"We should go together... you know... because..." Wow. The amazing Levi Ackerman was _flustered_. That was a first. Eren giggled at the prominent blush flooding Levi's pale cheeks.

"Yeah, okay." They walked with little space between them, and when they slid into the carriage that was taking them farther into the interior, they sat even closer. They watched the sunset as the horses pulled them on, chatting about what they thought would be beyond the Titan territory. They spoke of something called the ocean (gallons and gallons of deep blue water that was so big Eren couldn't even begin to fathom it), and forests, which were a bunch of trees (bigger than woods) all put together, they spoke of the weird and wonderful animals that Armin had found in his book, and they spoke of the three big triangles that almost touched the twinkling lights in the night sky.

Eren couldn't wait to free the world of the Titans so he and Levi and all their friends could visit these things.

He wanted to climb the triangles and sit on the top, so he could reach up to the twinkling abyss.

He wanted to watch the animals in their natural habitats, how they would play and interact.

He wanted to sprint as fast as he could into the green oblivion, hopping over roots of trees with raindrops dripping onto his head.

He wanted to swim the whole length of the blue void, his body easily carving a path through the water.

He wanted to feel these things. He wanted to be free.

But right now, here with Levi, he was happy. They would set humanity free, and they would do it together. Humanity's Last Hope Shadowed with Humanity's Strongest Soldier. This could be the break humanity needed.

The two fifteen year olds stepped through the doors of the castle, they were met with the faces of every single Scout. Eren didn't know most of them, but all of his friends were stood furthest away, closest to the circle on the floor where the two boys were about to stand in. They would stand in the large circle, salute to each other, recite the Oath, and then the magic would happen. 

They walked up to the circle, stepped in and faced each other. The King stood outside of the circle.

"We have all gathered here today to celebrate the new found bond between Levi Ackerman and Eren Jaeger. Please take a step closer to each other." They were now within a bent arms reach of each other. "Please demonstrate the Amalgamate Salute."

The Amalgamate Salute was something every Cadet learned, but very few would ever use. Two people were needed for this version of the salute that everyone knew so well. Their left hands would still remain behind their backs, but instead of their right hands covering their own hearts, it would cover the other persons heart. It symbolised the union between the two people, and it was very intimate, even used at weddings.

Eren locked eyes with Levi, and he felt a warmth in the presence in the back of his head. His left arm fastened behind his back, as Levi's did the same in sync with his. His right arm reached out, and his closed fist gently pushed into Levi's chest, right over the shorter boys heart. He could feel it, despite his blank face, beating way faster than it normally would. He knew that he wasn't much better, thanks to the way Levi's eyes smirked at him when the pale fist rested on his chest.

"Levi Ackerman, repeat these words after me; Wherever you will go, I shall follow. I agree to fight, and live, as one with you. If you die, burry a part of me there with you. I pray you do not leave this world without me. You are my everything." Levi repeated the King's words with a soft voice. Then, it was Eren's turn.

"Eren Jaeger, repeat these words after me; I will never go where you cannot follow. We shall be one, forever and always. If you die, I will never forget, and I will live on for you. I could never, ever leave you behind. You are my everything." Eren was surprised that his voice didn't crack, and that it remained steady the entire time.

"Pease put your heads together." This was literal. Eren had to bend down a little bit, but it wasn't uncomfortable. His forehead fit nicely on Levi's, and the shorter boys hands were soft when they came to rest on either side of Eren's face. Levi's skin felt cool under his fingertips. Their noses were almost touching. The King raised his hands.

"Maria, Rose and Sina. May you watch over this pair, and give them your blessing. In return, they offer their conjoined heart and life to protecting your Walls and keeping mankind safe." Eren swallowed back a gasp as a jolt rocked through both of their bodies. He had never felt more alive. Adrenaline pulsed through his body and he felt his senses being overwhelmed by _Levi Levi Levi Levi Levi..._ The quiet presence at the back of his mind took over everything else he was feeling, it was almost as if he could read Levi's mind. He saw Levi's eyes flash an electric blue-literally. He just knew that his eyes had done the same. As he stood there, feeling the adrenaline wear away, he didn't feel weak at all. In fact, he had only ever felt this strong when he was in his Titan form. He loved it. The King was smiling like a maniac.

"The ritual is now complete. Judging from the fact that you are both still standing, you are strong enough to spar?" Eren had let go of Levi's face and he nodded, just feeling it in his bones that Levi did the exact same thing. The King smiled again.

"Well, then. Go change. I can't _wait_ to see how this goes." 

Every Scout had been provided with gym kit, Eren literally had no idea whatsoever where it came from. They all had personal outfits; Eren was given a long sleeved black top, which had holes in them for his thumbs. He rarely used these, though, as they constricted his movement. He was also given a pair of light gray sweat pants. It was comfortable, and easy to move in, unlike his ODM Gear. 

Levi, on the other hand had been given a white tank top, which showed off his toned abs, with a thin light gray hoodie. He also had jet black sweats. He looked so fucking good. It was scary how smitten Eren was. 

As the two re-entered the main hall of the castle, they found everyone had been seated in a massive square around the perimeter of the hall, obviously to give them the majority of space to fight in. _He’s gonna kick my ass_ , Eren thought helplessly. 

“What did you say?” Levi whispered, as all eyes were on them. “About your ass?” What. 

“I didn’t say anything about my ass... I thought it.” Levi looked at Eren curiously, before their short interaction was cut off by both of them being handed a wooden pole. 

“Best of five!” The King cried out happily. Well, shit. The wooden pole felt comfortable and familiar in Eren’s calloused hands, as he had trained with these many times before, but that didn’t mean he was going to stand a chance against Levi. 

They took up their stances. 

“Fight!” Eren barely had any time to react before Levi was throwing himself in Eren’s direction, not holding back in the slightest. Eren just about dodged the attack, spinning out of the way. 

_He’s gonna come at you from behind._

Eren didn’t know where the thought came from, but he listened to it, and threw himself out of the way of an attack that he shouldn’t have been able to dodge. After that, they fell into an easy rhythm. _Dodge, kick, jump, attack, dodge, attack._  It just kept going. Every time one of them thought of a new attack, the other would get wind of what was happening and would jump out of the way. It was also like Eren and Levi’s stamina had been enhanced, so it felt like they could keep fighting forever. It was impossible for anyone to win. They had a strong bond. 

The King sat at the head table, watching the two boys spar with glee. His prize was safe. For now. The Circuit would be pleased. If he could get both of them, The Circuit would offer him more money. The Titan Boy and his Shadow. 

This was gonna be a good day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for sticking with me until the end of this chapter! I hope that you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave any feedback in the comments, because I do read it all and it makes my day when someone tells me what they thought of the story! X


	3. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Eren and Levi suffer with nightmares. They can now find comfort in each other.

Levi walked Eren back to his room, before bidding him goodnight, and made the short trip to his own room. As soon as Levi was out of his sight, Eren felt the fatigue from the day hit him in one massive wave. After he flicked off the light, he stumbled over to his bed, and without even changing, slumped over it, asleep within minutes.

_He wasn't running. He was being carried by a strong arm. He looked to see a jacket and Mikasa bouncing along in the person's other arm. Hannes was carrying them away from what was left of their house. From his mother. Eren was crying and screaming. Hannes was supposed to be brave, he was supposed to fight an kill Titans like it was nothing, right? He claimed to be a soldier, and yet here he was, running for his life._

_He knew what would happen next, he had witnessed this nightmare thousands of times before. He would turn back to their house, and see the Smiling Titan pick his mother up, and it would eat her._

_But that wasn't the worst part._

_As she was picked up, his mother screamed, thrashed and kicked out with her legs. The legs that she claimed had been crushed under the rubble. Eren knows now why she lied to them. If she had told them that her legs were okay, then they would have wasted their time trying to get her out, and they all would have been eaten. She saved their lives in exchange for her own._

_Sure enough, he turned to look, but what he saw wasn't what he usually did. This had never happened before. Suddenly it was raining. And Hannes wasn't carrying him anymore. He was stood still, and looking down upon a scene that would haunt him just as much as his own demons. He looked down on Levi, who was crouched close to a girls head. He watched as rage flooded his expression, as the head's eyes stared unseeingly up at him. He felt Levi's rage.  He felt it multiply tenfold when the scene changed again, and he was suddenly staring down at half a boy. These had been Levi's friends. And he had told them to stay behind. Eren didn't know how he knew this, but he did. He knew that Levi blamed himself for their deaths._

Eren sat bolt upright in his bed, sweating and breathing heavily. _What the hell was that?!_ He thought. _Did I just witness Levi's nightmare?_ He swung his legs over the edge of his bed, noticing that he was still wearing his sweats from earlier. He peered through his window, and was greeted by the sight of pitch blackness. No one else was probably awake. That's what he thought, until a knock on his door startled the ever-loving fuck out of him. He stumbled and tripped, knocking things off his bedside table. He probably looked like he had just been hit with a hurricane when he finally opened the door.

Who he saw was not who he thought it would be.

Levi looked up at him, looking the smallest and most vulnerable Eren had ever seen him. He, too, was still wearing his sports kit. Levi was peering at him through his hair, clutching his pillow like it was a lifeline and he was drowning. As soon as his eyes landed on the boy, Eren felt... _things_ bloom in his chest. Some, he was pretty sure was to do with their new Shadow bond. Others... not so much.

"C-can I come in?" He whispered. Eren stepped aside, and let the short boy step into his room. Levi immediately crossed the space from the door to Eren's bed, and sat down on it. He buried his face into his pillow, and brought his knees up to his chest. He looked so small. Eren plonked down beside him.

"Did... did you just go through what I went through?" He asked quietly.

"If what you went through was witnessing someone else's memories, then yeah." Levi mumbled into his pillow.

"So-so you saw... you saw my mom...?" His voice, the traitorous thing, cracked halfway through his sentence. Levi finally looked up at him, face red and blotchy. He had been crying.

"And you saw Farlan and Isabel." Eren nodded, before he engulfed Levi in a tight hug, which was quickly reciprocated. They stayed like that for a few minutes, before Eren pulled away.

"Do... do you wanna stay here tonight? I don't mind." Levi nodded jerkily, before he turned and collapsed on Eren's bed, pulling his lean body underneath the covers. Eren stood and made to grab his pillow, he was going to sleep on the floor, when one of Levi's eyes cracked open.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Uh... I'm gonna sleep on the floor?" Levi scoffed.

"No, you're not, you stinking brat. This is _your_ room, and I'm not going to make you sleep on the floor. Now shut up, and get your ass in bed." It sounded more like a demand rather than anything else, and Eren sensed that Levi wasn't going to take no for an answer. So, he crawled up next to Levi and slipped under his duvet. Damn, this was awkward. Levi turned away from Eren, who continued to stare at the back of the shorter boy's head. Until he felt the fatigue once again take over his body and his eyes slipped shut.

And that is the story of how Eren woke up with something warm and living pushed up against his chest. He had his arm draped lazily over the other person's side, and his neck buried deep in between their shoulder blades. His other arm was being used as a pillow for a mass of black hair, complete with undercut, and their legs had become so tangled, Eren couldn't tell where his legs ended and the other person's started. The legs were really short, though. 

Suddenly, Eren was wide awake. He was cuddling Levi. Levi was in his bed. The events of last night slowly returned to him; they had shared a nightmare, and Levi had shown up at his door. They had hugged, and Eren had offered Levi to stay the night. Eren was prepared to sleep on the floor, but Levi had insisted that he stay with him in his bed. And now, they were spooning. Eren started to have a gay meltdown, whilst Levi slept on, blissfully unaware of the turmoil his Shadow was going through in the world of the awake. #

Eren wanted to die when he heard the door opening. He just prayed it wasn't Mikasa. Luckily, it wasn't. Unluckily, it was Hanji. She let out an audible gasp, and it looked like she was fighting the urge to squeal. Levi stirred, but instead of waking up, he rolled over and buried his face in Eren's chest. Hanji stumbled out of Eren's room, and he heard a bark of laughter filter in.

He knew they were never going to live this down. Not ever.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for sticking with me until the end of this chapter! Any and all feedback is appreciated, as always! Sorry for the short chapter! X

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for sticking with me until the end! It’s been one hell of a journey! Please leave your thoughts in the comments, any and all feedback is appreciated! X


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